1958 Chevy Impala Custom – Benny’s Bowtie
Sometimes a build just stops you in your tracks and you can’t help but stare – this was the case with Benny’s 1958 Chevy Impala Custom when we came across it at Hot Cars & Cool Nights in Seaside, California last month.
Sure, this wouldn’t be the first 1958 Chevy Impala Custom on air bags, but the way the whole ride comes together is special. From the understated tweed interior to the purple exterior that’s enhanced with multi-colored hot licks it’s a car that Benny has completely made his own.
Most of the work on his car has been completed by Benny himself. The exception is the paintwork which was done by his friend, Robert Vasquez. The result of Robert’s work is nothing short of awesome; it’s a one-of-a-kind job but this hasn’t kept Benny from enjoying the car and taking it out to cruise as often as he can, usually with all his buddies in the Castroville Midnighters.
He’s owned the car for over three decades now and he’s stuck with it since this was the first model of Impala ever made. From the factory the car has a specific type of styling you can’t get anywhere else, especially not today.
While it’s immediately clear that much of the Chevrolet has been modified over the years this is balanced out by a number of factory parts that have survived for six decades. It’s a build that, once you see it, draws you in as you look at what’s been changed and what’s withstood the test of time.
But this doesn’t mean that even some of the factory parts haven’t been modified in some way. The original wheels and their matching center caps rotate independently of each other; that is, as the wheels roll down the road the center caps stay in place. It’s this attention to detail that many may overlook that really adds to this particular Impala.
But when you ask Benny what he likes most about his ride, his response is “the whole car.” This includes the numbers-matching 348c.i. V8. For a badass cruiser like this, Benny’s prioritized what really matters to him; he admits that other than keeping the motor healthy, he hasn’t given this area much attention – standard fare for custom car guys.
Of course, you have to test this sort of thing out. Don’t worry, we went out to the middle of nowhere to give it a try. With car guys getting a bad rap as the younger generation flies around the road in cars which attract loads of negative attention from law enforcement, we wouldn’t want to contribute to this inaccurate image of car culture.
Benny instead leads by example with his 1958 Chevy Impala Custom.
